30 Days Of Superfoods: Mushrooms For Immunity

Our caps go off to this cold- and flu-fighting veggie.

Welcome to 30 Days of Superfoods, Prevention's 30-day guide to incorporating more healthy fuel into your diet all November long. Superfoods have myriad benefits, from boosting your immune system and fortifying your body to warding off disease and even managing menopause. Here are easy, tasty ideas for adding mushrooms to your diet—starting today!

They might not seem like a vitamin and mineral powerhouse, but mushrooms are loaded with nutrition. And they just might be your ticket to fewer sniffles this cold and flu season.

The white veggie is a good source of selenium, a mineral that boosts the body’s ability to fight infection by increasing white blood cell production. Wild mushrooms, which are grown in sunlight, also serve up hard-to-get vitamin D (commercially-cultivated mushrooms are usually grown indoors, in the dark. But look for "UV-treated" on the packaging—a small number of producers expose their mushrooms to UV lamps to give them a vitamin D boost), which is tied to lower rates of coughs, colds, and upper respiratory tract infections. Why? Findings suggest that D may play a crucial role in immune system regulation. It’s thought to modulate the harmful inflammatory actions of some white blood cells while helping immune cells ramp up production of powerful germ-fighting proteins.

HOW TO PREPARE MUSHROOMS

Avoid rinsing mushrooms—they'll become waterlogged. Instead, gently wipe them with a damp towel to clean off any dirt.

MUSHROOM RECIPES WE’RE CRAZY ABOUT

For a quick, satisfying side, sauté mushrooms in olive oil along with garlic and thyme. You can also take advantage of their meaty bite by adding them to pasta sauce or folding into burgers or meatloaf. Consider making some of these mushroom recipes, too:

Shiitake and Spinach Miso Soup

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Photograph courtesy of A Beautiful Plate

Warm and comforting yet not at all heavy, this brothy, Asian-inspired soup from is exactly what you want on a cold day.

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Photograph courtesy of well plated

Whether as a light meal on its own or as a side for something more substantial, this warm salad fits the bill. Hearty mushrooms and cauliflower lend flavor and heft, while lentils and walnuts serve up enough protein to keep you full for hours. This is one mushroom recipe you won’t want to miss!

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